Sweethearts

A repost from Valentines last year. Sweethearts were mine and Pat's favorite candy. I don't enjoy them too much now. But, my boys knew they were our favorite and made sure I had a few boxes for Valentines this year. Feb 20, 2011 10:26 PM Sunday is my favorite day and today has been a good one!  Pat and I went to church this morning and it felt so great to be there as we have missed several Sundays.  Pat and I are feeling like empty nesters this weekend as the kids are not here because of the long weekend.  The boys report that they are catching fish and having fun in Hico.  Elizabeth is spending the weekend with her old college roommate. Pat has felt good today, but he had a lot of back pain earlier this morning.  I received the Purpose Driven Life devotional each day via email.  It is written by Rick Warren from Saddleback Church.  I read in today's devotion   Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:29-30 (MSG) .  Jesus calls us to a level of intimacy that can only be sustained by his constant presence in our lives.  When I read that it reminded me of a cute story and what I call another God hug.  A week ago Friday I was driving back from Madill.  We had gone there so Pat could measure some windows.  Earlier in that week we had some hard days and on Thursday night I was crying and I asked God to show me His presence.  It was late at night.  I needed Him and I asked him for a God hug the next day.  Every Valentines Day I love buying the Sweethearts candy. You know the hearts that have words written on them and they are in a pink and white box.   Well, I got Pat addicted too.  We went to CVS last year after Valentines Day to buy out all of the rest the Sweethearts on the shelf.  Okay, back to the story. While I was driving I remembered I had brought us a box to share.  Pat was sleeping and I was getting a little sleepy myself, so I thought I would eat half of the box and save the rest for him. I find myself praying all day most days...just conversation with God.  Below is a conversation I had as I was opening the box and started eating the candy.  The conversation in my head went like this: God :  "Read the first one".  I picked up an orange one and it was blank.  Me:   "It is blank." God:  "I know.  Read the next one." I picked out a pink one and it read: Love You.  That made me smile.  I continued eating them of course.  God:  "Read the next one". I picked another one.  It read:  Forever His message to me:  Love You Forever Now fast forward two days.  I shared with my Life Group girls the story about the Sweethearts candy. On Monday, my friend, Brenda who is in our life group, called me.  I was unable to answer her call but this is what she left on my voice mail:  "Hey Paige!  I wanted you to know that I had to try those Sweethearts you talked about last night.  They tasted okay, but I thought I would eat one and see if God had a message for me.  So I ate one and mine said "Hot Babe". She was laughing her head off when she hung up the phone.    When I read the last candy that said "Forever", it made me tear up because God knows me intimately. Just as the writer said above "Jesus calls us to a level of intimacy that can only be sustained by his constant presence in our lives."  You can say it is coincidence and that is okay, but I don't believe it was.  It is just like God to use my favorite candy to tell me that He hears me and He loves me.